Intermittent catheterization is a sterile process of draining urine from the bladder when normal draining is impossible or difficult. Proper intermittent catheter use reduces the risk of urinary tract infections and kidney damage. Intermittent catheters come in many different sizes and lengths to fit the body. Some catheters are also available pre-lubricated. Of these, some catheters require their coating be hydrated before insertion. Other catheters have pre-hydrated lubricious coatings for immediate insertion upon opening the package.
Intermittent catheterization is generally performed a minimum of four times a day by the patient or a care giver. The genital area near the urethral opening is wiped with an antiseptic agent, such as iodine. A lubricant may then be used to facilitate the entry of the catheter into the urethra. A topical local anesthetic may also be applied to numb the urethral opening during the procedure. One end of the catheter is placed in a container, and the other end is inserted into and guided up the urethra and into the bladder until urine flow begins.
When urine flow stops, the catheter may be re-positioned, moved or rotated. The patient may also be made to change positions to ensure that all urine has emptied from the bladder. The catheter may then be withdrawn and cleaned for the next use. Recommended cleaning practices vary, from the use of soap and water, to submersion in boiling water or a disinfectant solution. Some patients prefer to use a new catheter with each insertion or catheterization. This is because improper cleaning of re-used catheters can contribute to the development of urinary tract infections (UTI). Patients with recurrent UTIs are encouraged to only use a new catheter for each catheterization.
Intermittent catheters are generally catheters or tubes having a rounded, atraumatic distal tip that is inserted into the bladder of a patient. A molded funnel is typically connected to a distal end that remains outside the body of the patient or user. The distal tip may include slots or openings on the shaft to facilitate drainage of urine therefrom once the tip is positioned inside the bladder.
Hydrophilic-coated intermittent catheters are intermittent catheters having a highly lubricious coating on an outer surface thereof, which are either packaged with fluid or otherwise brought into contact with fluid in order to provide a catheter with a slippery outer surface to facilitate insertion into the patient or user.
Existing hydrophilic-coated intermittent catheters fall into three broad categories. In a first type, the catheter is packaged in a dry environment, but it contains a hydrophilic coating that requires a wetting fluid in order to become hydrated and lubricious. The wetting fluid is obtained from an external source by the user (e.g., sink, bottled water, etc.), and the catheter is positioned within the wetting fluid for a period of time to become hydrated. Use of this first type of intermittent catheter may prove difficult where no clean water or wetting fluid is readily available. Moreover, catheter sterility may be compromised due to the user's handling of the catheter when wetting fluid is applied.
A second type of hydrophilic-coated intermittent catheter is also packaged in a dry environment and contains a lubricious coating. However, the wetting fluid is positioned in a pouch or container within the catheter package itself. To hydrate the catheter, the pouch or container is opened when the user is ready for insertion. Suitable examples of such catheters are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,087,048 and 6,634,498 (the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties). As with the first type, this second type may be disadvantageous because the catheter must be exposed to the wetting fluid for a period of time before insertion to ensure hydration of the lubricious coating. The sterility of the catheter can also be compromised during insertion. This concern, however, is no different than a pre-wetted catheter because package remains sealed during hydration.
A third type of pre-wetted intermittent catheter is packaged in a wet environment. That is, the catheter is exposed to a wetting fluid within the catheter package, thus hydrating the coating. Suitable examples of such catheters are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,380,658, 6,848,574 and 6,059,107 (the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties). However, the user may have difficulty handling the catheter due to its slippery surface, and excessive or imprecise handling may result in contamination of the catheter by the user. This could then expose the user to a urinary tract infection.
An example of the third type is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the instant application. As can be seen in these drawings, the catheter assembly utilizes a catheter 1 arranged in a package 2 made of two sheets 2a and 2b which can be separated from each other (see FIG. 2) so as to allow access to the catheter 1. The catheter 1 is arranged in a space 3 arranged within the package 2 along with a hydrating fluid. In this way, the coating C arranged on a tube portion 4 of the catheter 1 is maintained in a hydrated or pre-wetted state. The catheter 1 includes a funnel 7 arranged on a proximal end 8 and a closed and rounded end or tip at a distal end 9. One or more drainage eyelets 5 are arranged in an area of the distal end 9. When user desires to use the catheter assembly shown in FIG. 1, the user need only open the package 2 (see FIG. 2), remove the catheter 1 from the package 2 which is already pre-wetted, and insert the distal end 9 into the bladder.
Existing intermittent catheters may also drain urine into a bag. Following bladder drainage into the bag, the bag may be emptied by inverting and tearing a notch. Urine is then drained into a receptacle through the tear. That process can be slow, messy, and subject to urine spills.
Non-intermittent catheterization, which is used in a hospital or nursing home setting, uses the same basic technique for insertion of the urinary tract catheter. The catheter is inserted by a nurse or other health care professional, and, it remains in the patient until bladder function can be maintained independently. When the catheter is removed, patients experience a pulling sensation and may feel some minor discomfort. If the catheter is required for an extended period of time, a long-term, indwelling catheter, such as a Foley catheter, is used. To prevent infection, it should be regularly exchanged for a new catheter every three to six weeks.
Proper catheter use can also often be determined by the length of time that the process is necessary: long-term (often called indwelling) or short-term use. In some situations, incontinent patients are catheterized to reduce their cost of care. A condom catheter, which fits on the outside of the penis using adhesive, can be used for short-term catheterization in males. However, long-term catheterization is not recommended because chronic use carries a significant risk of urinary tract infection. This risk catheterization should only be considered as a last resort for the management of incontinence where other measures have proved unsuccessful and where there is significant risk to the skin.
A catheter that is left in place for a period of time may be attached to a drainage bag to collect the urine. There are two types of drainage bags. One is a leg bag being a smaller drainage device that attaches by elastic bands to the leg. A leg bag is usually worn during the day, as it fits discreetly under pants or skirts, and is easily emptied into a toilet. The second type of drainage bag is a larger device called a down drain that may be used during the night. This device is usually hung on the patient's bed or placed on the floor nearby.
During long-term use, the catheter may be left in place the entire duration, or a patient may be instructed on an intermittent self-catheterization procedure for placing a catheter just long enough to empty the bladder and then removing it. Patients undergoing major surgery are often catheterized and may remain so for long durations. Long-term catheterization can expose patients to an increased risk of infection. Long-term catheterization as a remedy for incontinence is not appropriate, as the risks outweigh the benefits.
In males, for example, the catheter tube is inserted into the urinary tract through the penis. Insertion in males can sometimes be difficult because of the abrupt angle in the male's urethra. An external device such as a condom catheter can also be used. In females, the catheter is inserted into the urethral meatus, after a cleansing. The procedure can be complicated in females due to varying layouts of the genitalia (due to age, obesity, childbirth, or other factors), but a good clinician should rely on anatomical landmarks and patience when dealing with such patients.
Common indications to catheterize a patient include acute or chronic urinary retention (which can damage the kidneys), orthopedic procedures that may limit a patient's movement, the need for accurate monitoring of input and output (such as in an ICU), benign prostatic hyperplasia, incontinence, and the effects of various surgical interventions involving the bladder and prostate.
For some patients the insertion and removal of a catheter can cause excruciating pain, so a topical anesthetic can be used for patients of both sexes. Catheterization should be performed as a sterile medical procedure and should only be done by trained, qualified personnel, using equipment designed for this purpose. However, in the case of intermittent self catheterization, the patient can perform the procedure his/her self. If correct technique is not used, trauma may be caused to the urethra or prostate (male). A urinary tract infection or paraphimosis may also occur (male uncircumcised patient).
Particular complications of catheter use may include: urinary tract or kidney infections, blood infections (sepsis), urethral injury, skin breakdown, bladder stones, and blood in the urine (hematuria). After many years of catheter use, bladder cancer may also develop. In using indwelling (long-term) catheters, it is particularly very important to take everyday care of the catheter and the drainage bag.
Catheters come in a large variety of sizes, materials (latex, silicone, PVC, or Teflon-coated), and types (Foley catheter, straight catheter, or coude tip catheter). In the case of internal catheters, those inserted into the urethra, the smallest size is usually recommended, although a larger size is sometimes needed to control leakage of urine around the catheter. A large size can also become necessary when the urine is thick, bloody or contains large amounts of sediment. Larger internal catheters, however, are more likely to cause damage to the urethra. Some people develop allergies or sensitivities to latex after long-term latex catheter use or prior latex exposure. In such cases, catheters made of materials other than natural rubber latex should be used. Silver coated urinary catheters may also be used to reduce infections.
Catheter diameters are sized by the French catheter scale (F). The most common sizes are 10 F to 28 F. The clinician selects a size large enough to allow free flow of urine, but large enough to control leakage of urine around the catheter. A larger size can become necessary when the urine is thick, bloody or contains large amounts of sediment. Larger catheters, however, are more likely to cause damage to the urethra. (Jeffrey A N et al., Surgery: Basic Science and Clinical Evidence Springer, 2nd ed., 2008, p. 281).
Catheters are regulated as class II medical devices under section 513 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act) and the appropriate panel (78 Gastroenterology/Urology) as described in 21 CFR 807.87(c).
Finally, it is noted that existing intermittent catheters typically have two staggered drainage eyelets or openings which are located on a distal end of the catheter, i.e., near the inserting tip. These openings allow the catheter to drain urine from the bladder.